Below is a topo map of a reservoir I am going to hit hard next week as the temps will be in the high 60s to lower 70s. I expect sunny conditions. The water temp is still hovering around 42-46 degrees. Can any of the experienced folks on here help me with breaking down this map and giving some advice on where to fish and maybe what to throw. Thanks in advance. 

 

 

This lake is in Ohio, correct?

 

Any idea of the water temperature?

 

If not, then be ready to throw specific baits for different water temperatures and try to find the warmest water you can.

 

Crawfish or shad colors will probably work best.

 

You can hit the bank and points and fish slow.

 

Fish the mouths of the creeks and then go into the creeks looking for wood, piers, docks and any structure you can find.

 

The ladies will be holding deeper depending on the water temperature and the buck males will be moving around.

 

What baits? Who knows? Try them all like spinnerbaits, square bills, lipless crankbaits, Chatterbaits, Senkos, trick worms, brush hogs, beavers, etc. You have to find their depth, what they are holding to and what they want to eat.

 

I would not think you will be catching many this time of year in Ohio but any you do catch will be a bonus to your trip.

 

Ok guys and gals on this Forum, how about throwing in your two cents with baits and techniques you would use and where you would fish this Ohio lake?

points of course - drains or nooks - if you have decent clarity this is a classic jerk bait scenario - 45 degree banks with mixed aggregate/clay - crank a wart -  I would start with the jerk bait or crank depending on clarity - clearer for jerk - patience will be the key and faith in the lure and location you choose. As the day warms the fish will be more active and you should find some action on secondary points and the upper reaches. If you have a partner one could jerk and one crank so you could cover water - if you locate fish dragging a jig could help you. Keeping your concentration on a day with few bites is always the challenge isn't it - hope you whack a bunch of them. If you can find points with one steep side they can be good starting spots - fish can be shallower than you expect this time of year. All of this is merely an opinion of course.

Just my 2 cents, im not what youd call an expert, but, id go with the section where the little north stream enters. start in the middle work my way in, trying to find any trenches or drop offs.

That whole stretch where 2600is located. That whole stretch i'd fish. That cove looks like a spawning flat. The hills around there look steep and I've always had luck fishing pre spawn bass near steep banks. I think the bass would be setup around there

I agree with the steep drops, points and creeks. Anywhere where they can run up shallow and retreat back out easily.

We don't know where this lake is, what position the dam is relative to compass and no scale other than a 20' elevation topo map.

20' elevation graduations tells you very little considering 80% of bass anglers never fish deeper than 20'!!

You assume the dam is positioned south, no compass to know that.

The lake is unkown size; could be 1,000 or 10,000 acres ?

If we assume the dam is at the south end, most water in North America flows north to south. There is a small main lake basin area near the dam, about 60' deep with 2 creek arms. During the winter the majority of the LMB (?) live near the main lake basin area. The bass will be in transition to pre spawn, moving up towards the and into the creek arms. The major point that divides the lake into 2 creek arms should be your starting point. The longer creek arm to your left facing the dam looks a little better than the shorter right arm, just a WAG.

Following the heavy 2500' elevation line, the lake full pool maybe 20' less at 2480? You see a jog with a straight line inside the left creek arm before the 2 small coves on the major point shoreline side...that looks worth checking, could be a rocky cliff. This left arm has 4 feeders creeks,where those creeks intersect is another place to check out.

Without any knowledge of what types of bass this mystery lake has or the forage base, lure selection is impositble. I would go with jigs, structure spoons and drop shot soft plastics and maybe a jerk bait until you figure out the depth the bass are at, should be between 20' to 40' if the water temps are below 50 degrees, another WAG.

Without more detail, you are on your own!

Tom

You're better off giving me the name of the place so I can look it up on Google Earth(and NavMaps), because that's a pretty rough topo.

This is Doctor Dan Hale Lake in Princeton, WV. The actual Dam is where the oval is. Here is an image I extracted from Google Earth. 

 Bumping this thread up since I added an additional image. 

All found on Daniel Dale lake is it's stocked with trout, has rental boats. What I didn't learn is the surface arcres, which direction the dam face faces. The sat view confirms there isn't any residential roads, homes or docks around this lake and it appears to be approx 1,000 acres.

Knowing they stock trout, I would add swimbaits to my list and fish the dam face, plus the other areas mentioned. The four corners of the first creek intersection on the left creek still looks a good place to learn what you need to know about this lake.

You should have a boat.

Tom

WRB said it. It looks steep, except back in the coves on the south sides. North Fork Brush Creek inlet looks promising, and the cove furthest east looks like it has rip rap going to deeper water. I'd fish the creek, dam,opposite south side of the dam, right where that steep face splits, and the two coves, one on the east, and one furthest west on the south side. Stocked with trout, (only in the spring). I'd definitely be using a trout swimbait. Definitely fish in there, from what info I could scrounge up. Get a boat, and Good luck. Tight lines.